Daddy Time
by BettyHall223
Summary: It's Jack's favorite time of day as he contemplates his future.


_Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. No copyright infringement is intended._

The morning sun was just coming over the horizon as Jack walked down the hall to the nursery and slowly looked around the corner of the door to see eleven month old Katie sitting up in her crib.

Having heard him coming, Katie smiled as her Daddy dropped to the floor on his hands and knees. Crawling across the floor, he slowly peeped over the end of the crib.

Katie sat very still, eyes wide with excitement, knowing she was about to be sneaked up on.

Jack grinned as he peeped around the corner. Katie quickly turned her head, saw her Daddy and let out a delighted squeal.

Jack grinned and stood up as Katie kicked her legs and raised her arms. Jack picked her up and kissed her cheek.

"Is Daddy goofy? Do you think Daddy's goofy?"

Jack chuckled as Katie looked into his eyes with an expression that reminded him of Sam when she was trying to humor him.

Katie jabbered words that he couldn't understand as he lay her down on the changing table. She stared at her Daddy as he took off her soiled diaper and threw it in the diaper pail and continued to stare as he cleaned her little bottom with a moist baby wipe.

Katie giggled as Jack leaned over, blew a raspberry on her tummy and fastened a clean diaper around her tiny waist.

Picking up Katie, he sat down in the rocking chair and set her on his lap. Turning herself around to face him, she put her arms down by her sides, laid her head on Jack's shoulder and sighed with contentment.

Jack smiled as he snuggly wrapped his arms around his daughter and began to rock.

Over the past few months, he had started this morning ritual of spending time with Katie and he thought she enjoyed their time together as much as he did. It had become his favorite time of day as they sat in the stillness of the early morning light with just the soft squeak of the chair as he rocked back and forth.

When Sam awoke, she always knew where to find him at this time of day, in the nursery enjoying cuddle time with their daughter before he had to get ready for his job at the Mountain.

Katie raised her head, stared out the window and pointed.

Jack stopped rocking and glanced outside. "What do you see, honey?"

"Bud."

Jack frowned. "Bud? Oh, you mean bird. Yes, I see the bird."

Katie lay back down on his chest, stuck her thumb in her mouth and stared at the bird sitting on a tree limb.

He looked down at her, so content in his arms, so soft, cute and cuddly, trusting her Daddy to love and protect her.

A gentle smile came to Jack's face as he closed his eyes and slowly rocked his precious child.

Sam stood in the doorway with a smile on her face, watching her husband and daughter. She knew that when Jack held Katie like this, he was truly happy and content.

Before Katie had been born, Jack had voiced his doubts to her about becoming a dad again this late in life, but when he held Katie for the first time after she was born, those doubts had quickly vanished. She knew he loved their daughter more than he could ever express and Katie had quickly become a daddy's girl.

Jack heard Sam walk into the room and he opened his eyes as she knelt down in front of them.

"Hey" she whispered as she gave Jack a kiss.

Jack grinned. "Hey."

"She doing okay?"

Jack looked down at their daughter and nodded.

Sam gently placed her hand on Katie's back as Katie turned her head and grinned.

"Mama."

Sam held out her arms. "Hey, sweetheart. Want to come to me?"

Katie stared at her for a few seconds but lay her head back down on Jack's chest.

Sam chuckled. "Well, I guess I know who the favorite parent is around here."

Jack grinned and stuck his nose in the air. "She likes me best."

Sam slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, I think you're right."

"That is, she likes me best until she gets hungry, then she likes you, Sam."

Sam grinned. "She loves us both."

They leaned forward and kissed again as Katie groaned at being squeezed between her parents.

Sam leaned back and Katie held out her arms.

Sam stood up, took Katie from Jack and headed for the door.

Jack didn't move from the chair. "Sam."

Sam turned to face him. "Yes, honey?"

"I don't want to go to work. You take over for me today at the base and I'll stay home with Katie."

Sam grinned. "Jack, you're the base commander. Nobody would take orders from me, I'm just a lowly lieutenant colonel. You're 'the man'."

Jack stood up slowly. "I don't want to be 'the man' any more. I want to stay here with Katie. It gets harder every day for me to leave her."

As Jack walked toward her, Sam looked into his eyes. "If you want to quit, Jack, then quit. You keep saying it's time for you to retire. Katie would love having you around all the time to play with and do things with her as she gets older."

Jack sighed. "I want to be here for all those milestones I missed with Charlie. I want to see her walk, hear her speak her first sentence. Teach her to skate and ride a bike. I want us to spend summers at the cabin, I can teach her to fish."

Jack stopped and looked at the floor and Sam could tell there was something else he wanted to say.

"And?" Sam urged.

Sam could see tears moisten Jack's eyes as he placed his hand on the back of Katie's head and gently rubbed her head with his thumb. "I want to spend every moment with her I can, Sam. I may not be around to see her become an adult."

Sam shifted Katie in her arms and placed her hand on Jack's cheek. "Jack, neither of us knows what the future holds. That's why we have to make the most of the time we have. If retiring so you can be with Katie will make you happy, then do it."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Honey, it's up to you, but, no, I wouldn't mind in the least and Katie would love it."

Sam reached around Jack with her empty arm and gave him a hug.

As Jack followed his wife and daughter to the kitchen, he whispered to himself "it's time."

The End


End file.
